Gachagua Explains Why It's Difficult to Court Nyanza to His New Party: "Raila Is an Institution"
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is keen on popularising his new party, this as he appreciates the challenge of invading some regions
- Asked if he could purpose to court Nyanza, Gachagua said it would be a tall order given that the region is religiously in Raila Odinga's fold
- Gachagua's party seeks to leverage his clout in Mt Kenya to establish its base and dislodge the UDA party, which remarkably grasped the region in the last election
Even as former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is upbeat about his new party being a new force in the local political scene, he appreciates that making inroads in some regions may not be easy.
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He unveiled the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), which will be his outfit in the run-up to the 2027 general election.
Can Rigathi Gachagua woo Nyanza region?
Gachagua said the party will penetrate every corner of the country to give it a national outlook.
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He is, however, alive to some challenges which he said would be figured out as time moves.
Gachagua noted that there are regions that it would be difficult to shift the prevalent political establishment.
Speaking on Obina TV, the former deputy president singled out Nyanza among the regions that will pose a hard nut to crack.
He observed that the region's loyalty to ODM leader Raila Odinga cannot be easily wished away, albeit with the hopes that things will change soon.
"We have young people from Nyanza, like my deputy chair, but the region has been difficult because Baba has been there for long time because he is more or less an institution. But now I can see people are trying to exercise their independence of mind, which is a good thing for democracy," Gachagua said.
Can Rigathi Gachagua work with Raila Odinga?
Gachagua has in the recent past been holding Raila in high esteem despite his previous sentiment against the veteran politician.
He even hinted at his willingness to partner with Raila politically.
In a television interview earlier this year, Gachagua said he would help Raila win the presidency for the first time after five failed bids, but only if the latter was willing to work with him.
On observation, the former deputy president said the ODM leader's strongholds remain dependable due to the unwavering loyalty of voters in those areas.
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He noted that if Raila decides to make a sixth attempt at the presidency in 2027 and garners support from Mt Kenya, his chances of success would be significantly higher.
Gachagua appeared to suggest that any candidate who secures the backing of Mt Kenya voters is almost assured of victory in the 2027 vote.
Does Rigathi Gachagua recognise Raila Odinga's political might?
In the past, Gachagua frequently and heavily criticised Raila for leveraging his political influence to disrupt successive governments and then asserting his presence in administrations and exerting power alongside constitutionally recognised leaders.
But shortly after his impeachment in October 2024, Gachagua's stance on Raila seemed to shift.
He has since begun acknowledging the veteran politician’s remarkable resilience in Kenya’s political landscape.
The former deputy president now often describes Raila as a strategic leader who has established a formidable political party, the ODM party, which he said had stood the test of time.
He even expressed interest in sitting with Raila to learn how the latter has been able to remain relevant in the dynamic Kenyan politics.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
